Gardening Fan - Birthday Card

....  Good morning. I hope everyone is well. The high temperature broke yesterday and we were able to sleep well last night. In fact, it was so much cooler yesterday that I was able to work in my craft room (too hot most of last week). I made a birthday card for my mother-in-law, Madeline. Madeline absolutely loves her garden, and so she should, it's amazing. So, this is the card I made for her:

Stamps: Waffle Flower - Elegant Sentiments, Postage Collage Garden Silhouettes, Plant Marker Words, Postage Collage, Green Thumb Sentiments; Aall & Create - Postal Bits, Stamped Horizons

Inks: Gina K - Powder Blue, Peach Bellini, Soft Stone, Sweetcorn, Stormy Sky, Lt Orchid, Med Orchid, Warm Cocoa, Lucky Clover, Lipstick, Dark Chocolate, Kelly Green, Sweet Mango, Petunia, Key Lime, Cadet Blue; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Stencils: Waffle Flower - Postage Collage Gardening, Postage Collage Colouring

Dies: Waffle Flower - Postage Collage, Elegant Sentiments

Accessories: White & Black Card; Black Marker Pen

I loved the last release from Waffle Flower - the gardening theme is fab and perfect for so many of my family and friends - not me though!!

I die cut the A2 stamp block from white card. I used the PC Gardening stencil to create the images on the 'stamps'. The stencils have suggested colours marked on them, and while I followed most of the time. I added some detail to the images with a fine black marker, and then added postage marks. For the postage marks I used a couple of sets from Aall & Create - they have several more 'UK' style stamps. I used the PC Colouring Stencil to create the airmail frame on the A2 white notecard. I layered the stamp panel onto black card and adhered it to the front of the card. I finished the front with an elegant birthday greeting in black ink - I die cut it with the matching die (layered it on 3 blank layers for depth). On the inside I cut a matt layer of black card and on the white panel I stamped a fun greeting, and added a black gardening silhouette image.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge - CIC#638 where the theme is Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#520 to use diecuts and/or stencils - both!

Just Us Girls - JUGS#829 - to use stencils

Seize the Birthday - STB#329 - I've skipped the topping, and gone for Anything birthday goes

I'm safe to share Madeline's card today and she doesn't use the Internet! It's cooler today too, in fact, the sky is rather grey. I think there may be some rain - I'd be very happy to see rain, as the garden needs it.

That's all for today. See you all soon.

Birthday Bear

... Morning!! It's been so grey and wet here for the past couple of days, which is kind of good as I can play in my craft room with no guilt!! Today I'm sharing a birthday card:

Stamps: Waffle Flower - Postage Collage, PC-Birthday, Royal Mail, Sweet Birthday Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Sky Blue, Wild Lilac, Sandy Beach, Warm Cocoa, Black Onyx, Wild Dandelion, Sweet Mango; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Waffle Flower - Nesting Postage Collage Die

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake; Waffle Flower Stencils - Nesting Collage Party Bear Stencil, Nesting Postage Collage Blocks

I'm playing along with the following challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge - CIC#633 - colours

Time Out Challenge -  TOC#305 - use a favourite technique - stencilling

Just Us Girls -JUGS#807 - to use a stencil

Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#82 - Waffle Flower stash all new!

I started by cutting out the central 'postage stamp' die cut and the Party Bear stencil to create the image. I added some extra details to the image - a first class symbol, forever and some white details to the image. I stencilled an 'airmail' border directly onto an A2 white note card. I adhered the finished panel in the centre of the card and added a postage check mark. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of kraft card and on the white panel, I stamped a birthday greeting and added a little 'stamp' showing birthday candles.

This card is for our daughter's boyfriend - he said that he wanted a 'cute' card! I think this fits the brief!!

     

That's all for now - I plan on spending most of this weekend in my craft room making more cards - Christmas and birthday. See you soon.

Birthday Wishes

.... Hello!! It's been a while since I've been here. I was lucky enough to go to a Uniko/Dies to Die For workshop at the beginning of August and my creative mojo started to come back. So, here I am with a much needed birthday card for my stash:

Stamps: Uniko - Simply Said Blocks 3; Birthday Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Applemint, Lucky Clover, Christmas Pine; Versafine Claire - Nocturne

Accessories: Uniko Stencil - Layering Bauhaus Blocks; White Card; Copic Marker

I'm submitting this card to AAA Cards - AAA#297 where it's Anything CAS Goes with the option of all green, and I love all shades of green. I'm also playing along Just Us Girls - JUGS#790 where it's Stencil week. And, as this is the first time I've used this stencil, I'm also submitting to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#77.

I had such a good time at the Uniko/Dies to Die For workshop, that I was inspired to get out some of my Uniko stencils. I'm embarrassed to say that I've had this stencil for ages, but not used it. The design is made of three layering stencils, and I simply used three shades of green from light to dark. I trimmed the panel to be slightly smaller than 5" square, edged it with dark green Copic and adhered it to the card base. I didn't want to hide the image, so I stamped a small birthday greeting in black ink, cut it out and added to the card. For the inside, I cut a piece of white card to 4¾" square and I added the centre strip of the stencil to the card (I turned it sideways), and added a fun greeting.

It's been fun getting back to making cards. I needs lots!!

The reason I've been absent, is that Mum's cancer came back early last year, and I spent as much time as I could with her. Sadly, mum died in January, I've been coming to terms with no having mum here. It's been a tough, but my mojo seems to be back, and mum would be so pleased to see me making cards again. I worked my way through all my stash, and I so need more cards. So, I'm back. See you again soon.

O Christmas Tree ....

.... Hello again! I've ended February with an almost full week of cards - go me!! Today I'm sharing a Christmas card. It's never to early to start on your stash for this year - it makes thing so much less frantic in November!! This card is a bit out of my comfort zone.

Stamps: Visible Image - O Christmas Tree, Sentimental Christmas

Inks: Distress - Black Soot, Chipped Sapphire, Shaded Lilac, Tumbled Glass, Shabby Shutters, Twisted Citron; Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Lulu Lavender

Accessories: White Card; Clear Embossing Powder; Imagine Crafts - Frost Sheer Shimmer Spritz; Tim Holtz Stencil - Stars THS115; Viva - Iridescent Glitter Paste

I'm submitting this card to Just Us Girls - JUGS#573 - that inspiration photo is just gorgeous and inspired my ink blended background. I'm also playing along with 52Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT08-21 where they want Mixed Media on your card - done!! Finally, I'm joining in with Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#31 where it's Anything Christmas Goes.

I used a top-folding A2 card for the base. I used several shades of Distress ink to blend the background. I used Tim's water drop method to add some subtle dot texture on the background and then I spritzed the whole thing with frost shimmer spray - it's absolutely beautiful in sunshine!! Once the background was dry, I stamped the Christmas tree in black Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder. To give better definition of the tree, I repeated this step (one of the great things about using a MISTI). I finished the front by applying a layer of iridescent glitter paste through a Tim Holtz star stencil. On the inside, I stamped a Christmas greeting in black and added a tiny lilac start.

I took a photo of the card in direct sunlight - you can really see all the shimmer and sparkle - so pleased with it.

Isn't it wonderful how much better everything feels when the sun shines? And getting decent photos is a real plus too! I'm very pleased how this turned out. I don't usually go full mixed media on a card, but this was fun. That's all for today. Hope to see you again soon.

Hip Hop Birthday ....

.... Good afternoon! It's a really dismal day here in Northop Hall - dull, grey, wet but mild! So I've been playing in my craft room. A friend recently asked me to make a birthday card for him, so I came up with some ideas and made the one he liked. But I had a few idea left over, so I made one of them today. Here's a birthday card for my stash:

Stamps: Visible Image - Hip Hop Girls, Tomorrow Doesn't Exist, Random Art of Kindness, Rays of Light; MFT - Bitty Birthday Wishes

Inks: Gina K - Wild Dandelion, Sweet Mango, Bubblegum Pink, Key Lime, Powder Blue; Versafine - Onyx Black

Accessories: White Card; Visible Image Stencil - Cosmic Skies; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to Seize the Birthday - STB#208 - I going for the Anything Goes option, to Just Us Girls - JUGS#572 where they want to see rainbow colours, and to Happy Little Stampers Stencil Challenge - HLSSC#02 Anything Goes.

This is a one layer card. I started by stamping the hip hop dancer in black ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I covered the image with a mask and then stamped the numbers to act as a ground for her and added the rays of light behind her. Again they were stamped in Versafine black ink and heat embossed. Next I stamped the birthday greeting and embossed that. I finished the front by adding rainbow colours through a stencil. It has a very grungy feel. I've left the inside blank for my own message.

That's all for today. I'm going back to messing about with paints and inks. I've been doing an online class with Dyan Reaveley - Distinctly Dylusions 12 - where we've been using her wonderful hexagon stamps and stencils. I've lots of pages prepared to colour. I'll share some in the next few weeks. See you soon.

Snowy Birthday ....

... Hello! I've got into a bad habit of not making enough cards and then having to rush to make them when I need one. So today, I'm sharing a snowy birthday card - I've lots of birthdays in the months from November to February - so this is perfect for my stash.

Stamps: MFT - Simply Snowflakes, Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings 2, Bitty Birthday Wishes

Inks: Stampin' Up! - Balmy Blue; Gina K - Powder Blue; Memento - Summer Sky, Paris Dusk; Hero Arts - Unicorn

Dies: MFT - Stylish Snowflakes

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Night of Navy, Balmy Blue; Holographic Card; Gem

I'm submitting this card to Just Us Girls - JUGS#567 (use blues), Fusion - FUSION#0121 (I used the sketch), and Cardz 4 Guyz - C4G#262 (where it's Let it Snow).

I randomly stamped some snowflake images on the background using three shades of blue ink. I cut two thin strips of blue card and stamped a birthday greeting in white on the navy strip. I adhered them flat to the card. I finished the front by die-cutting a silver holographic snowflake, adhered it to the blue strips and added a simple blue gem in the centre. I used the sketch from Fusion for the card. On the inside, I cut a panel of blue card for the mat layer and on the white layer added a fun birthday greeting in dark blue, along with several more blue snowflakes.

That was fun! I think I'm going to spend a bit more time today making a few more, much needed, birthday cards for my stash. That's all for now. See you again soon.

SHC - Birthday cards ....

... Hello, I'm typing this post in advance (actually on Saturday 9th). It's a glorious day, the sun's shining, the snow's melting and I've been playing in my craft room - as I said perfect!! I'm here with my weekly post for Seven Hills Crafts. I've made a couple of much needed birthday cards for my stash. Here's my first card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Snail Mail, Cuddles & Hugs; Altenew - Geo Frames

Inks: Gina K - Soft Stone, Red Velvet; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Altenew - Geo Frames

Accessories: White & Black Card; Concord & 9th - Retro Petals Turnabout Stencils Pack

I'm submitting this card to AAA Birthday - AAAB#21 where they want use to use a Stencil Background, to Just Us Girls - JUGS#566 where they want us to use a stencil, and to Color Hues - CH#09.

 

I started by making the stencil background. I used a Concord & 9th turnabout stencil, inking alternate diagonal rows in red and grey, and repeating the process to give a finished panel of diagonal red and grey stripes. I cut the panel to fit the front of an A2 card. I used a die to cut a white rectangle and added a black frame from the matching stamp set. Then I had fun playing with the super Snail Mail stamp set. I used several of the word stamps to build up the message in the rectangle and finished by adding the cute snail. I stamped the snail on white card and fussy cut it out. On the inside, I simply cut a panel of white card, stamped a birthday greeting and added another snail along with a snail trail!

I was having such fun with the Snail Mail stamp set that I decided to decorate the envelope too:

My next card uses the strip of left over stencil background.

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Cuddles & Hugs

Inks: Gina K - Soft Stone, Red Velvet; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Accessories: White Card; Concord & 9th - Retro Petals Turnabout Stencils Pack

I'm submitting this card to Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#22. I've had both the stencil pack and Cuddle & Hugs for a long while, but this is the first time they've been used for cards!! My bad!

I used my MISTI to stamp the big, bold word 'hugs'. I stamped it a couple of times to make sure that the image was really black and crisp. Next, I edged the left over stripe of card with a black marker pen and adhered it flat to the card. I repositioned the card in the MISTI and stamped the word 'hugs' again to make it show on the strip. On the inside, I simply stamped the rest of the greeting and added some softly stencilled petal pattern.

That's all from me today. See you again next week. Keep safe.